Super Bowl XXXVIII

A thrilling Super Bowl with two scoreless quarters, a record fourth-quarter comeback, and a last-second field goal.

Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Carolina Panthers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2003 season. The Patriots defeated the Panthers by a score of 32–29. The game was played at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, on February 1, 2004. At the time, this was the most watched Super Bowl ever with 89.8 million viewers.

Quick Facts

Visitor: Carolina Panthers
Home: New England Patriots
Home coach: Bill Belichick
Home record: 14–2
Home place: 1
Visitor coach: John Fox
Visitor record: 11–5
Visitor place: 3

Lore & Background

The Panthers were making their first ever Super Bowl appearance after posting an 11–5 regular season record. The Patriots, led by head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, were seeking their second Super Bowl title in three years after posting a 14–2 record. NFL fans and sports writers widely consider this game one of the most well-played and thrilling Super Bowls; following the game Sports Illustrated writer Peter King hailed it as the 'Greatest Super Bowl of all time.'

Although neither team could score in the first and third quarters, making it the first ever Super Bowl with two scoreless quarters, they ended up with a combined total of 868 yards and 61 points. The game was scoreless for a Super Bowl record 26:55 before the two teams combined for 24 points prior to halftime. The clubs then combined for a Super Bowl record 37 points in the fourth quarter. The contest was finally decided when the Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri's 41-yard field goal was made with four seconds left.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time in his career. The game is also known for its controversial halftime show in which Janet Jackson's breast, adorned with a nipple shield, was exposed by Justin Timberlake for about half a second, in what was later referred to as a 'wardrobe malfunction.'

Reader's Guide

The Patriots' defense did not include Mike Rucker; Mike Rucker was a defensive end for the Carolina Panthers, recording 12 sacks and an interception during the season.

Did You Know?

The game was the first Super Bowl scheduled for the first Sunday of February; subsequent Super Bowls through LV followed this format.
The Panthers made their first Super Bowl appearance after posting a 1–15 record just two years earlier.